This is an application for competitive renewal of an Institutional Training Grant entitled Mechanisms of Cardiovascular Diseases. Initially funded in July 1989, its mission is to provide training at the pre- and post-doctoral levels in the area of cardiovascular research. The past 15 years has witnessed a veritable explosion in the application of cell and molecular biology and molecular genetics to the study of the cardiovascular system. In recent years, there has been considerable merging of these newer disciplines with classic biochemical, biophysical, and physiological approaches to the study of the cardiovascular system. The integration of these modalities makes it possible to begin to understand the precise mechanisms involved in complex processes such as congenital heart disease, atherosclerosis, ischemic heart disease, cardiac hypertrophy and failure, and arrhythmias and sudden death. Over a decade ago, the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, which has a long tradition of depth in basic science research, established one of the first Molecular Cardiovascular Programs in the nation to facilitate fundamental and translational cardiovascular research. This program has been very successful, leading to its expansion to 21 trainers working in 5 major areas including: 1) Myocyte Growth, Differentiation, and Death; 2) Cardiovascular Development; 3) Intercellular Communication; 4) Myocardial Inflammation; and 5) Vascular Growth and Response to Injury. This institutional Training Grant supports the pre-doctoral training of selected students in the Ph.D. and M.D./Ph.D. programs at Einstein who work in these areas. In addition, support is provided to Ph.D. and/or M.D.s pursuing conventional post- doctoral training and to physicians in the Cardiovascular Fellowship Training Program who intend to pursue full time investigative careers. As a result of the Molecular Cardiovascular Program, dialogues among basic scientists, clinical cardiologists, and cardiothoracic surgeons have been enhanced, leading to productive collaborations and cutting edge research. The years to come will undoubtedly continue to be exciting and information with respect to cardiovascular diseases. Thus, this Institutional Training Grant is crucial to ongoing efforts to bring the considerable scientific resources of our institution to bear on problems of cardiovascular relevance.
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